It’s tempting to think that all new luxury cars are oversized sedans or ostentatious sport utility vehicles. And it’s true, many of the new luxury cars do fit into those categories. But plenty of new luxury car models are a lot smaller than some people might expect, and it’s not just the new ones. It’s been that way for a while, but it’s always tempting to think that when it’s time to spend that kind of money, a buyer should get the most possible, and when it comes to car shopping, “most” often tends to translate into size, rather than features, amenities, or performance specifications. Of course, the word “luxury” itself is broad and subjective, and the lines have become somewhat blurred when it comes to determining what is a luxury car, and what is not. Some people may believe, for example, that only a car manufactured by a premium or high-end brand might qualify for the luxury designation, even if a mid-range brand produces a similarly sized vehicle with nearly identical features and amenities, and decides to market that vehicle as a competitor in the luxury segment.

And then, there’s the perception that all luxury cars are large and have four doors. It’s true that that’s a conventionally accepted definition, but shoppers who have a flexible interpretation of “luxury” would do well to consider other options for new luxury cars. Potential buyers who are shopping for a luxury car should be open to possibilities other than large sedans (unless, of course, a large sedan is what they really want). There’s a clear distinction between a sports car engineered purely for performance and a luxury car, but many performance vehicle models have elements of both and are marketed to a luxury shopper. It helps to keep options open, because even the manufacturers (and everyone else) sometimes get a little too hung up on terminology.